Al Jama-ah: Difference between revisions

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|'''Social:''' [[Right-wing politics|Right-wing]]{{refn|<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lagardien |first1=Ismail |title=Al Jama-ah: The small Islamic political party with a narrow vision and big ambitions |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2020-11-19-al-jama-ah-the-small-islamic-political-party-with-a-narrow-vision-and-big-ambitions/ |website=Daily Maverick |date=19 November 2020 |access-date=7 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=De Barros |first1=Luiz |title=New Johannesburg mayor is from openly queerphobic party |url=https://www.mamba.lgbt/2023/02/02/new-johannesburg-mayor-from-openly-queerphobic-party/ |website=Mamba |date=2 February 2023 |access-date=7 September 2023}}</ref>}}

'''Al Jama-ah''' ({{Lang-Langx|ar|الجماعة}}, {{Literally|the Congregation}}) is a South African political party. It was formed in 2007 by present leader [[Ganief Hendricks]] and contested the [[2009 South African general election|2009]], [[2014 South African general election|2014]], [[2019 South African general election|2019]] and [[2024 South African general election|2024]] national elections.<ref>{{Cite web

The party aims to support [[Islam in South Africa|Muslim]] rights and interests, though the party states that it supports working for the shared interest of all South Africans from different religious and cultural backgrounds.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Al Jama-ah's Constitution 2023 – Aljama-ah Muslim Political Party |url=https://www.aljama.co.za/al-jama-ahs-constitution-2023/ |access-date=2024-03-31 |website=www.aljama.co.za}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mainfesto – Aljama-ah Muslim Political Party |url=https://www.aljama.co.za/manifesto/ |access-date=2024-03-31 |website=www.aljama.co.za}}</ref> The flag of Al Jama-ah depicts a white ''ǧīm'' ({{lang|ar|[[ج]]}}, the first letter in its Arabic name), upon a field consisting of the other [[Islamic flags|Islamic colours]]. In January 2023, party member [[Thapelo Amad]] became [[Mayor of Johannesburg]].<ref name=":0" /> He resigned in April and was replaced by fellow party member [[Kabelo Gwamanda]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Cllr Kabelo Gwamanda – New Mayor of Johannesburg {{!}} Aljama-ah Muslim Political Party |url=https://www.aljama.co.za/candidate-profile/cllr-kabelo-gwamanda/ |website=www.aljama.co.za}}</ref>

In January 2023, Al Jama-ah's [[Thapelo Amad]] was chosen as [[Mayor of Johannesburg]] with the support of the [[African National Congress]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Ramushwana |first=Alpha |title=Al Jama-ah's Thapelo Amad is Johannesburg's new mayor |url=https://ewn.co.za/2023/01/27/al-jama-ah-s-thapelo-amad-is-johannesburg-s-new-mayor |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=ewn.co.za |language=en}}</ref> He resigned in April and was replaced by fellow party member [[Kabelo Gwamanda]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Cllr Kabelo Gwamanda – New Mayor of Johannesburg {{!}} Aljama-ah Muslim Political Party |url=https://www.aljama.co.za/candidate-profile/cllr-kabelo-gwamanda/ |website=www.aljama.co.za}}</ref>

In 2024, the party retained its single seat in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament and gained an additional seat in the National Assembly, but claims that it turned down an offer from the African National Congress to participate in a Government of National Unity as it did not wish to be part of any coalition with the [[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|Democratic Alliance]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramushwana |first=Alpha |title=GNU Talks: Al Jama-ah turns down ANC, cites DA as hindrance |url=https://www.ewn.co.za/2024/06/10/gnu-talks-al-jama-ah-turns-down-anc-cites-da-as-hindrance |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=EWN |language=en}}</ref> However, Al Jama-ah finally decided to join the government of national unity (GNU).<ref>{{cite web |title=GNU: It’s about weakening the DA and its allies {{!}} Aljama-ah Muslim Political Party |url=https://www.aljama.co.za/gnu-its-about-weakening-the-da-and-its-allies/ |website=www.aljama.co.za}}</ref> The leader of Al Jama-ah, Mogamad Ganief Ebrahim Hendricks, became Deputy Minister of Social Development in the coalition.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mr Mogamad Ganief Ebrahim Hendricks |url=https://www.parliament.gov.za/person-details/5744 |website=parliament.gov.za}}</ref>

Al Jama-ah championed the introduction and passing ofintroduced two [[Private member's bill|private member's bills]] regarding Muslim marriages.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Marriage Bill Explained – Aljama-ah Muslim Political Party |url=https://www.aljama.co.za/muslim-marriage-bill/the-marriage-bill-explained/ |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=www.aljama.co.za}}</ref> The Registration of Muslim Marriages bill introduced [[Islamic marital practices|Muslim marriages]] into South African law.,<ref>{{Cite book |title=Registration of Muslim Marriages Bill |url=https://www.parliament.gov.za/bill/2306910 |access-date=1 June 2024 |isbn=978-1-4850-0837-8}}</ref> Theand the second bill aimed to reform the Divorce Act of 1997 to comply with the newproposed marriage legislation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Muslim Religious Marriage Bills 2022 – Aljama-ah Muslim Political Party |url=https://www.aljama.co.za/muslim-marriage-bill/muslim-religious-marriage-bills-2022/ |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=www.aljama.co.za}}</ref>

Party leader Hendricks admitted to having travelled to [[Malawi]] to meet fugitive prophet [[Shepherd Bushiri]], a wanted man who fled South Africa following charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to over R100 million as well as charges of rape and sexual assault.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramushwana |first=Alpha |title=Al Jama-ah leader reveals party received a prophecy from Bushiri on its poll performance |url=https://www.ewn.co.za/2024/06/03/al-jama-ah-leader-reveals-party-received-a-prophecy-from-bushiri-on-its-poll-performance |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=EWN |language=en}}</ref> Hendricks returned from Malawi with a prophetic prediction from Bushiri, indicating the party's electoral support would increase. Hendricks told Newzroom Afrika that the party expected one million votes after Bushiri advised his three million congregants to vote for Al Jama-ah.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zszpFPrCDD4 |title=Al Jama-ah gunning for a million votes |date=2024-05-27 |last=Newzroom Afrika |access-date=2024-06-15 |via=YouTube}}</ref> The party went on to only receive about [[Results of the 2024 South African general election|39 ,000 votes]] on the national ballot.

[[Galil Brinkhuis]], a religious leader who represents Al Jama-ah in the Western Cape ProvicialProvincial Parliament made a prayer for the African National Congress during a sitting of the legislature on the eve of the 2024 elections, adding that he hoped the party would take the lead in province.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ludidi |first=Velani |date=2024-05-22 |title=Al Jama-ah member of Western Cape legislature rebuked and forced to apologise after praying for ANC election win |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-05-22-al-jama-ah-member-of-western-cape-legislature-forced-to-apologise-after-praying-for-anc-election-win/ |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}</ref> Al Jama-ah distanced itself from Brinkhuis's prayer, saying that it was out of line with party interests. Brinkhuis later apologised and said that it was a mistake to pray for another party's success.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Charles |first=Marvin |title='It was a mistake': Al Jama-ah MPL faces heat for praying for ANC victory |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/elections-2024-it-was-a-mistake-al-jama-ah-mpl-faces-heat-for-praying-for-anc-victory-20240523 |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Under Al Jamaah's Gwamanda administationadministration, the City of Johannesburg introduced a R200 surcharge fee for prepaid electricity meters in July 2024 in addition to a 12.7 electricity tariff fee. Residents criticised the City of Johannesburg for implementing the surcharge fee without public participation, however, Gwamanda denied this and instead defended the fee and said that it was there to stay.<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 July 2024 |title=Gwamanda denies lack of consultation on R200 prepaid surcharge |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/energy/joburg-mayor-says-r200-prepaid-electricity-surcharge-here-to-stay-6809eafe-706f-4069-b967-352e43d25d1b |access-date=10 July 2024 |work=SABC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Buda |first=Christopher |date=5 July 2024 |title=Joburg mayor says R200 prepaid electricity surcharge here to stay |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/energy/joburg-mayor-says-r200-prepaid-electricity-surcharge-here-to-stay-6809eafe-706f-4069-b967-352e43d25d1b |access-date=10 July 2024 |work=IOL}}</ref> The R200 fee targeted poor households and was critisedcriticised for the consequences it would have.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Njilo |first=Nonkululeko |date=2024-07-07 |title=Poorer Joburgers buckle under new R200 prepaid meter electricity surcharge |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-07-08-impoverished-joburgers-buckle-under-new-monthly-r200-prepaid-meter-fixed-electricity-surcharge/ |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}</ref>